


Obstacles

by Silence_burns



Category: A Discovery of Witches (TV), All Souls Trilogy - Deborah Harkness
Genre: A Discovery of Witches, F/M, First Meetings, Gen, Mystery, Vampires, Witches, but it's so sad there's so little reader inserts so far, i had to add something to this fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-03 04:08:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16318874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silence_burns/pseuds/Silence_burns
Summary: Imagine being the one who found the Ashmole 782 book and Matthew Clairmont deciding to keep an eye on you.





	1. Chapter 1

It hurt and set a shot of pain so deep down your arm, you felt it twitch without your control and go numb instantly. You uttered a silent scream. Somehow, even in this situation, you still had a thought of being at the library in the back of your mind.

Looking sharply over your shoulder, you watched the people around you, but they didn’t seem to notice anything that had just happened to you. None of the strange, wicked words that flew through your hands, no electricity that filled the air around you, making the hair on your hands stand out almost painfully straight. All they were bothered by were the lights that have gone out in the whole library, like it was all that mattered.

Pounding heart raced in your chest like all it wanted to do was to jump out of it and run. You felt the same, your thoughts scattered and panicked. Without any idea of what you just witnessed, you were lost. You’ve never heard about anything like this. You never wanted to do it again.

The book seemed disgusting now. You could still feel what it did to you, the letters and words you never wished for flooding your skin, your thoughts, so alien and unnatural. It violated you in the deepest of ways.

You closed it harshly, a sting of pain shot through the burn on your hand, but you ignored it. You rushed out of the library, of this whole place. You dropped the Ashmole 782 book at the counter, not giving it a second look. You wanted it gone for good.

The fresh air hit you in the face, and you could finally take a deep breath. Your lungs burned for it. Your muscles felt tense as you strode through the patio, the people just a blur around you. You missed a man looking down at his phone, not sparing him even a glance.

Matthew Clairmont, on the other hand, had no problems with focusing entirely on you.

* * *

By the second time you’ve noticed him, you had a really bad feeling about it. Of course, it could be just a coincidence. He could have just chosen the same places to go to as you, but the part of you that wanted to believe in that was very weak and uncertain. A different voice arose at the back of your mind, gaining more and more of your concern. Something had happened to you. Nothing was a coincidence anymore.

With a deep but raspy breath, you tried to focus back on the script in your hand. It was supposed to be a part of your work, but you could already feel that you needed more information on the subject. Unfortunately, it was the kind that you could obtain only in the library. A shiver run down your neck, despite the warmth of the cafe shop you were sitting at.

“I believe my presence won’t be much of a nuisance to you, since you don’t look like working anyway,” a pleasant, sly voice startled you momentarily, making you jump in your seat a little.

Looking up, you cursed under your breath. Out of all the people you knew in Oxford, it had to be the creepiest one.

“I thought belief wasn’t the strongest virtue of your kind,” you muttered angrily, trying to regain your self-composure.

A twitch in a corner of the man’s mouth told you your guess was right.

“Not only smart, but also intelligent,” the man sat in a chair in front of you, not waiting for your permission.

“Not only a stalker, but also a vampire,” you repaid with a remark. You couldn’t help yourself, even though you knew it was plain stupid to poke a bear with a stick. Or, in this case, a vampire. “Should I be concerned?”

“Only for a moment,” he promised with a shadow of a smirk lingering on his lips. “My name is Matthew Clairmont and I have to ask for your help.”

You eyed him suspiciously, already concerned and sure this was going to be the worst day of your life. You put the article on the table, moving your chair a little. It could seem as if you wanted to face the man properly, but you also prepared it to help you flee away as fast as you can if he showed any signs of danger.

“I’m afraid I’m in no position to help you properly,” you played his game, controlling your tone and acting as if your hand wasn’t burning at the mere suspicion of what he wanted from you.

“Quite the opposite, actually,” Matthew shook his head gently. If you didn’t know what vampires were capable of, you’d think he was just another well-mannered man of science wandering through Oxford’s corners.

Tailored suit and posture gave him an aura of a man used to being listened to, just as the way he held himself - with back straight, but relaxed, and gaze fixed entirely on you. Everything about him resonated with control - both over every part of himself and his surroundings. Part of you wanted to give up to this feeling and let him talk. It would be easy and certainly less energy draining as pushing yourself out of your seat and breaking the electrifying eye contact.

“I’m not the one you’re looking for,” you said calmly with emphasis, taking your coat and bag.

“Your hand speaks a different story. That’s a very nasty burn, by the way. Hope you take care of it.”

He didn’t move when you pushed your chair under the table and collected your stuff. He looked like a man that didn’t have to run after whatever his mind was on. That realization hit you hard, making your hand shake a little while pushing your bag on your shoulder.

“If you want to listen the stories of old irons and morning rush, I’m sure there are plenty of speakers around.”

Walking through the tables, you felt his eyes plastered to your back in almost a physical way. Your legs felt unsteady, but you’d rather bite off your tongue than show him any sign of weakness. Exiting the Cafe, you turned slightly while opening the door. The man was gone, chair pressed to the table like no one was using it just seconds ago. Somehow, you doubted he would be gone for good. Men like him never left unless they got what they came for.

Matthew watched you walk through the late afternoon crowd. Looking around, you probably searched for him, not knowing how useless it was. With lips pressed into a thin line, you eyed every man passing you. It was smart to stay careful. He approved that.

Your reaction was not of the sort he hoped for, but he wasn’t angry. He didn’t give up yet and was actually far from even thinking about it. A corner of his lips raised. He had time. He could observe you, search the places you went to, seek for any sign of where you hid the book.

He could almost feel it under his fingers. It’s been centuries since he’s been so close to it. He would never let a smart-mouth thing like you stop him.


	2. Chapter 2

The cool morning air felt amazing on your face, pushing the dark, venomous memories of the dream away. It had a calming effect, something you would welcome today more than ever before. As far as your memory stretched, you never experienced a nightmare as vivid and as painful as the one last night. You liked to think of yourself as a strong person, always first to face any struggles open-mindedly and reasonably. It used to save you a lot of troubles in the past, but it seemed to finally come to an end.

  
Catching your breath, you slowed down near a bridge. You enjoyed watching the sunrise over the trees as you ran through the park. For a moment, its familiarity brought you back to a peaceful mindset.   
  
The moment lasted up until you’ve noticed a figure dressed in black, seated on the nearest bench, right next to you. You could have sworn it wasn’t there a few seconds ago.   
  
“Do it one more time, and I’m calling the police.”   
  
Matthew raised a single eyebrow mockingly.   
  
“Are you going to mention it’s a vampire who is stalking you?”   
  
“It’s none of your business.”   
  
Silence filled the air that no longer felt soothing. You were still standing on the pavement, short on breath and sweaty, while Matthew seemed to enjoy the view, bathing in sunlight. You’ve never felt so out of place since kindergarten because of a pyjama accident.   
  
Lunging yourself on the bench, you staged an angry sigh, but it missed the man entirely. With eyes closed, he could as well be meditating.   
  
“What do you want?” you finally asked, no longer able to hold what’s been bothering you.   
  
“Something’s happened in the library yesterday. I can assure you every creature in Oxford felt it. More, they became curious.”  
  
“Like you?” you couldn’t help yourself but snicker.   
  
“Worse, I’m afraid,” his voice didn’t flicker. “I’m not hiding my interest in you.”   
  
A very bad feeling raised in your chest, alarm setting your mind on fire.   
  
“Are you saying…?“  
  
“The bench on the other side of the river, on your right.”   
  
Two figures sat where he described. Your eyesight may not be the best, but you were sure they were reading a newspaper, minding their own business. On the other hand, they seemed too young to be interested in a paper version of anything they could easily find online. They were not chatting, not looking at each other, even though they were right next to each other, too close for complete strangers.   
  
With your heart pounding rapidly in your chest, you glanced at Matthew. With eyes closed, his features were bathed in the morning sun, lightning his already pale skin.   
  
“You can’t even see them.”   
  
“But I can smell them. Witches have a very specific scent, almost impossible to hide, even from such a distance.”   
  
“That doesn’t sound creepy at all.”  
  
“Scaring you was not my point. I wanted to warn you.”  
  
“You’re aware that it doesn’t sound any better?”  
  
Turning his head to face you at last, Matthew opened his eyes slowly. “Is it the only thing you care about in this moment?”  
  
He had a point, even though you didn’t enjoy admitting it. “It’s the stress, sorry.”  
  
You ran a hand through your tousled hair, trying to calm down just enough to put your thoughts together. Matthew, no matter who he was, seemed to be right about his warning. Now that you focused on it, you suddenly felt very uncomfortable and out in the open. People you’d never bother looking at, now felt as if they were observing you, their moves fake, their expressions guarded.   
  
“This is ridiculous,” you shook your head. “I can’t be so paranoid -…”  
  
Your breath caught in your throat when you faced him. You haven’t realised how close you two were sitting, until you looked into his eyes again. Pupils dilated, skin so pale it could be confused with marble, with a muscle flexed in his jaw. Inhuman hunger filled the air, now tense and thick with primal bloodlust. In that moment, you understood how prey felt facing its hunter.   
  
The hair on the back of your neck tickled, standing up straight. Your lungs screamed for air, but you couldn’t make your chest move, not when any movement could decide your fate. Feeling very small and very slow, you wondered for a second if you’d reach your witch power before he could attack you.   
  
You weren’t so sure.   
  
The moment passed without warning, when Matthew blinked, letting you go from the trance like state, allowing you to move away as far as you could to the end of the bench. As a vampire, he probably didn’t have to breath, but he sighed deeply.   
  
With what felt like an extreme effort, he leaned back a little. “Please calm your pulse,” was all he muttered through gritted teeth.  
  
Arguing that it was definitely not how the human body functioned would not be the best idea in this current situation. If you had a switch someplace to just calm your nerves instantly, your life would certainly become a lot easier.  
  
A long time ago, you’ve read that evening your breath was a good idea to start with. The author of that useful advice probably didn’t even know about the struggle of doing it right beside a hungry vampire.  
  
“I can go, you know…” you whispered in a small voice. At least you were dressed perfectly for running.   
  
He stopped you with a wave of a hand. “It’s fine. It’s better now.”  
  
You highly doubted it. You didn’t feel any calmer, but he looked a little less tense than those few moments ago.  
  
Swallowing was hard. Your throat was rough and dry as a desert. “What exactly is it that you want from me?”  
  
“The book that you’ve opened, Ashmole 782. It’s… Very important to me. I’ve been trying to get a hold of it for a long time, but never succeeded.”  
  
“Can’t you just call it? The library…”  
  
“It’s lost. When you look into the catalogues or walk through the shelves deep inside the archives, you won’t find it. There’s just an empty space.”  
  
You blinked in surprise. “What are you talking about, I had it in my hands yesterday and left it there? It has to be there.”  
  
“You did what?”  
  
“I… left it in the library. You saw what it did to me,” you showed him the burn on the palm of your hand. “I didn’t want to have anything to do with it anymore.”  
  
Shock defended him. Staring at you wild-eyed, Matthew looked for any signs of lie in your face, but didn’t find any. A heavy burden left his shoulders.   
  
“Are you sure?” he asked, though.  
  
“I’m not a thief! Besides, you can’t just take the books out of the library. It’s against the rules.”   
  
Matthew looked down at you with a sort of compassion flashing in his eyes. “You don’t have any idea how difficult it’s going to be to prove to all the creatures around you. They won’t believe you, no matter what you say.”   
  
“But you do believe me?”   
  
“Yes. Surprisingly, I do, but that’s only because I know how the human body changes when trying to pull off a lie. You can’t fake your pulse.”  
  
You shook your head, the whole situation felt so abstract, almost dreamlike. A few days ago you’d never think that casually chatting with a vampire about your life being ruined would ever happen. And yet, somehow, that’s exactly where you found yourself, questioning your poor life choices even harder than ever before.   
  
“This is madness,” you whispered partly to yourself, watching the river shine in the morning light. “What am I supposed to do now?”   
  
“I’d say breakfast, but my views may be a little out of time. I’ve heard it’s not very wise to make important decisions hungry, though.”  
  
“Then breakfast it is. How much worse can my day get?”


	3. Chapter 3

 

Tracksuits are supposed to be comfortable and make you feel good about yourself, about the exercising, taking care of yourself or at the very least a piece of clothing you can always just quickly put on and go do whatever you have to, without caring if it gets dirty or messy. 

And for a long time, this design worked perfectly for you, it was all you needed for a walk or a quick run to the store. 

It changed once you compared yourself to the perfectly suited man sitting in front of you, casually, but still gracefully, sipping his coffee. Well, the difference wasn't all that appealing until you checked on your muddy shoes and sweaty hair. What a perfect day to contemplate all the possible ways of dying. 

“So. Are they gonna kidnap me?” you asked once the waitress brought you the meal you craved so much only a few seconds ago. Now your stomach tightened. 

Matthew shook his head, still taking in the deep aroma of coffee. “I doubt that, it doesn't seem very likely, at least not at this point.” 

“Wow. This made me feel so much safer.” 

“I do believe perfect safety is not an option for you right now,” he noticed with an eyebrow raised. 

“Is painting a big “I don't have it” sign an option, though?”

“Don't think so.” 

“Even if I add glitter?” 

Weariness darkened his features. 

“Alright, alright, just kidding. Though, now that I think about it, what exactly do you want from me? You said you believe me, so you know the book is ‘lost’ once again.”

Matthew shrugged with staged nonchalance. “Maybe I'm just curious who will be the first to threaten you into giving the book up?” 

“I suppose that's already settled, although I must admit your methods of threatening are not that bad so far. ” 

“I would never threaten you,” there was a sharp edge to his voice. You must have hit a sensitive matter. 

“Of course you wouldn't, you'd just wait patiently until I decide to make another visit at the library.”

That was a blind shot, but it seemed to hit close to home. The thought must have already crossed Matthew's mind at least once. He seemed like the type to take every detail and opportunity into consideration. You weren't stupid yourself, but you were far away from having centuries of experience. There are certain things even a witch can't evade. 

The sun rose high on the sky during the time it took you to get to a nice, pretty restaurant by the river’s banks. There still weren't many people around, the few tables set on the outside were still empty, leaving you to something close to a private space. 

On any other day, you'd enjoy the lazy, slow atmosphere of the early morning, when you still have a lot of time before diving into the daily routine. The world felt calmer in those hours, waking up and getting a deep breath after washing out the last bits of sleep. You should be well rested too. After that encounter with Ashmole 782, your exhaust and stress have taken an advantage of you, making you fell asleep the moment your body touched the bed. But those were long night hours, filled with an uncomfortable, lingering touch of thick spiderweb and dust pushing its way through your nose, staining your skin, burning your lungs...

All this summed up and blew a nasty punch to your mood and patience. And as much as the conversation with Matthew was flowing naturally, you were past the point of ignoring the obvious conclusion behind his actions. 

“Why do you care about the book so much?” you asked the only question that mattered now. Everything else you could just figure out from scraps. 

He weighed down the words, careful, but looking honest. 

“Ashmole 782 is not just one of the old alchemy books, as you've come to experience already. Its origins are uncertain, but it's not what matters the most. I've been trying to put my hands on this book for longer than you can imagine. All I had were old tales and whispers about the things hidden in it. As a scientist, it would be an irreplaceable source of alchemic knowledge. As a vampire though, my interests fall onto a slightly different ground. Have you heard the stories about vampire origins?”

“I never had any reason to look into it deeply. All I've heard were, as you said, stories and rumors, and we both know how unreliable that can be. As scientists, of course. “

“Of course,” he admitted with a shadow of a smile hiding in the corner of his mouth. “So you've never heard the opinion that it could be witches who created us, a completely new race?” 

“...no. But I don't think it's got many followers, it sounds ridiculous.” 

“Oh, it's got more than you think. Actually, there seemed to be quite a shift in its amount of followers lately,” he suggested calmly. 

It took you a moment to see behind his words. Every time he opened his mouth there seemed to be a new labirynt of meanings. 

“You can't possibly think all the people that are now following me, want the book for this exact reason? Why? Even if it's true, what reading about the past could change?” 

“To put it in simpler words, if someone created a species, there is a good chance he left a note how to uncreate it too.” 

The breakfast lost the rests of the taste. Taste of ash filled your mouth. 

“You can't possibly think something like this would be even possible. How would it work? There's no way someone could…”

“Maybe you're right, I never said I know all the answers, in fact, I said I know very little of them. It's unwise to rely on hope or fear, but belief is what makes ideas dangerous. Besides, even if you decide to base your judgment on those few facts we know, they are quite unmistakable - first, the book possesses knowledge no one remembers anymore. And second - the book got hidden so well that it was believed to be lost for centuries.”

“So you think it was hidden so no one could use it anymore?” 

“I don't know if that's the reason, I only know it decided to show up again after all this time. Something must have changed.” 

Shaking your head wasn't a good idea, you felt sick and dizzy. “I am a frequent visitor to the library, I have never even seen this book before…” 

“I know,” Matthew nodded with a hint of sadness in his eyes. “But I'm afraid it won't save you. Everyone's eyes are on you now, whether you think you deserve the attention or not.”

Brushing the tiredness off your face didn't work well. Closing your eyes, you wished for some good eyedrops or a few more hours of sleep. A good sleep, not like the recent nightmare. 

“I never asked for this. I don't want to be a part of this ridiculous race purging like it's the 20th century again. How close minded and stupid are those people?”

“You don't support their cause?” Matthew asked with a curiosity mixed with a slight surprise. 

“No, why would I? Do I really look like I pray to Hitler? I don't even like German beer.” 

“That's new. Witches are known for their distrust towards vampires.”

“Like we don't have enough reasons to,” you glared at him heavily. “But it doesn't mean it's a reason to mass murder a whole race. No vampire has ever hurt me. I could say I'm neutral so far.” 

A smile crossed his face, softening the features. 

“I deeply hope it will stay that way.” 

“Me too, Matthew.” 

It only occurred to you after you spoke it, that it was the first time you used his name. It shouldn't surprise you, it was probably one of the most normal things that happened to you in the last 2 days, but you still couldn't shake off the feeling of crossing a certain line. Towards what, you weren't sure yet. 

What you were sure of, though, was that the blond man storming fast towards you would not mean anything good. 

 


	4. Final

“We need to talk,” was all the man muttered through gritted teeth. Shooting Matthew a death glare, he tried not to get too close to the vampire.

He wasn’t tall or specific in any way. The most common face looked at you with a silent plea and a hint of urgency. If he wasn’t your friend, you’d forget his features the moment he walked away.

Matthew tensed and moved a little, but you stopped him immediately. A vampire attacking a witch in plain sight, with people around, was the last thing you needed right now. 

“It’s okay, I know him,” you said to Matthew, staring at him with intensity, hoping he’d listen to you. “Excuse us for a second.”

Matthew stayed at the table while you walked towards the barrier closer to the river. The whole time you could feel the vampire’s eyes on your back. You were sure if Alan tried to harm you in any way, he’d get in a lot of trouble.

“What do you want?” you whispered, stopping at the barriers.

“We can’t talk here, he’ll hear us-.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you. If you have something to tell me, do it here and now.”

Surprise shadowed Alan’s face. You didn’t know him all that well. He was a witch, and that was all you had in common. He worked somewhere in Oxford, so you’ve met a few times, but he was always way too pushy for your liking, always trying to prove himself better than he actually was.

“What are you even doing here? And with a vampire?” he scolded you, quickly regaining his composure. He reminded you of a very angry kindergarten teacher.

“It’s none of your business.”

“He’s a vampire. How could you have not noticed? He’s using you!”

“You don’t even know him,” you raised your voice against your will, not caring how many looks your argument would get you. The few people walking near the water banks glared at you with disapproval, but you’ve barely even noticed.

“He’s a vampire!”

“That’s not even an argument!”

Alan drew a deep breath.

“It would be to any normal witch.”

No matter how tough you thought you’ve become over the years, and how many witches have despised you for not using your powers, his words still hurt you. The weight on your shoulders only deepened, when one more accusation was added to the pile. The past few days has been a burden to you, and certainly one you wished you’ve never taken part in.

He didn’t even know you. He didn’t know what had happened, or maybe he did know and that’s why he decided to punch where it would hurt you the most. Alan may have a reason, or he could do it out of spite - it didn’t matter to you anymore.  

You leaned closer, your hands pulled into tight fists.

“I don’t care what you want from me,” you’ve accented every word. “But you won’t get it. Leave now, or you’ll become my enemy.”

Anger flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t argue. He turned away and walked fast, not looking behind his tense shoulders.

You even noticed a familiar presence behind you.

“I can take care of myself,” you’ve muttered through gritted teeth.

“So I’ve noticed,” Matthew agreed calmly, watching the sun reflecting on the river. Leaning over the barrier, he seemed to be a part of the view, an integral part of nature. Totally not like a centuries old vampire that wasn’t there a few seconds ago. How he managed to get so close without you hearing him remained a mystery.

“They won’t let this pass, right?” you whispered, watching Alan crossing the bridge. He was talking to someone over the phone. You had a gut feeling you knew who the subject of that conversation happened to be.

“I’m afraid so,” Matthew sounded genuinely sorry.

For a while you watched the people rushing to work and school, the morning slowly changing into day. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t erase Alan’s words from your mind. They seemed stuck with you, hitting exactly the nerve you hated.

With emotions running through your blood, it became easier to recognize creatures surrounding you. You didn’t practice magic, but it seems to be involved in your current ability.

They were watching you. You and the vampire - the only creature that hadn’t acted predatorial towards you yet. How ironic.

“What would you advise someone in my current situation?” you asked so quietly you barely heard your own words. Just as you hoped, Matthew didn’t have that problem.

“Stay low for a while and observe. Maybe use a good hiding place,” he answered not much louder, barely moving his lips. To anyone watching you, there wouldn’t be many signs of conversation.

“Where?”

A muscle tensed in his cheek, a shadow of a smile ghosting over his face.

“That I would need to show myself.”

Every rational part of your brain was screaming at you, horrified by what you were about to do. In this world, creatures didn’t mix. Creatures didn’t talk to each other, let alone offer help.

But you were tired of the old ways and a world you didn’t feel a part of. It was time to make a change.

“Sounds like a lovely advice, Matthew.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this short story :)


End file.
